Insole locating and holding means



June 8, 1965 M. H. ROSKE 3,187,358

INSOLE LOCATING AND HOLDING MEANS Filed Dec. 12, 1962 Inventor M'Zzorz H Roske By his Attorney hue A. W14

United States Patent 3,187,358 INSOLE LOCATING AND HOLDING MEANS Milton H. Roske, Boxford, Mass, assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 12, 1962, Ser. No. 244,128 4 Claims. (Cl. 12-141) This invention relates to the temporary attachment of insoles to lasts and has for its object the provision of novel and improved means for locating and holding insoles on the bottoms of lasts which are of a simple and relatively inexpensive construction yet very easy to use and quite dependable in action.

With the foregoing object in view, there is provided, in accordance with features of this invention, a last having novel means for locating an insole accurately in predetermined relation to the bottom of the last and also for holding the insole securely on the last during various shoemalcing operations, without the use of tacks or other similar fastenings, while at the same time permitting ready withdrawal of the last from the finished shoe. As herein illustrated, the insole locating and holding means embodying this invention comprises a pin or similar member mounted adjacent to each end of the last, one of which .pins is fixed and the other yieldably mounted for movement toward the other pin. These pins are so positioned onthe last and so constructed that when anin-' sole having two suitably shaped and appropriately located apertures therein is mounted on the bottom of the last with the two pins entered into these apertures, the insole will be accurately located relatively to, and securely held on, the bottom of the last. As herein illustrated, the fixed pin islocated on the center of curvature of the heel end of the last, while the yieldably mounted pin is located adjacent to the toe end of the last and is biased toward the toe end of the last by means of a spring which permits this pin to yield toward the fixed pin during the application of an insole thereon. Preferably, the fixed pin is inclined to the plane of the last bottom rearwardly and away from the other pin, and, if desired, this pin may be mounted normal to the bottom of the last and slightly undercut on its heelward facing side to enhance its ability to hold the heel end of the insole down onto the last. In addition, the yieldable pin may be mounted for pivotal movement against the resistance of its associated spring toward the heel end of the last and adapted to take up a position inclined away from the fixed pin and toward the toe end of the last when an insole is placed on the bottom of the last with the two pins entered into its two apertures thus enhancing its ability to hold the toe end of the ins-ole down onto the last while permitting ready withdrawal of the last.

The above and other objects and features of the invention will appear in the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a plan View of the bottom of a last provided with the novel insole locating and holding means of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing an insole applied to and held onto the last by the insole locating and holding means;

FIG. 3 is a view in side elevation, with certain parts shown in vertical section of the parts shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view in section of a portion of a last and insole thereon showing a modification; and

'FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the movable pin and its associated parts.

Referring to these drawings, the last L, which is of conventional two-part hinged construction, is provided on its bottom surface with metal plates P, P secured in place by fastenings in the usual manner. For the purposes of this invent-ion, the apertures usually provided in the metal plates and through which insole fastenings are driven, are omitted, and the following means are provided for accurately locating an insole I in a predetermined relation to the bottom of the last and for holding the insole securely on the last during sub-sequent shoemaking operations.

Adjacent to one end of the last, a fixed pin 10 is mounted in the last, and adjacent to the other end of the last another pin is mounted in the last, this latter pin being yieldab-ly movable toward the fixed pin in the manner presently to be described. As herein illustrated, the fixed pin 10, which is cylindrical in shape, is force-fitted into a hole 14 formed through the plate P and into the wooden part of the heel end of the last, this hole, and hence the pin, being located substantially at the center of curvature of the heel end of the last and inclined slightly, at an angle of about 15, toward the heel end of the last. If desired the pin 10 may be mounted substantially normal to the bottom of the last and undercut to provide a heelwardly inclined surface 10 as shown in FIG. 4.

The other pin 12 is secured to one end of a flat helical spring 16, FIG. 5, the other end of which is anchored in a slot 18 formed in a stub shaft 20. This shaft is mounted in a holder 22 having two attaching flanges 24, 24 and a U-shaped .body portion 26 formed integrally with the mentioned flanges. When these parts are assembled and inserted into a suitably shaped recess 30, formed in the forepart of the last L adjacent to its toe end, one end of the shaft 20 is received within a hole 32, formed in one leg of the U-shaped body portion of the holder, while a square head 34 on the opposite end of this shaft is held within a correspondingly shaped aperture 36 formed in the other leg of the body portion of the holder, thus restraining the spring 16 and causing the pin 12 to be yieldingly biased away from the pin 10 to the position shown in FIG. 1, i.e. inclined .at an angle of approximately 25 toward'the toe end of the last. Adjacent to the recess 20, an aperture 38 is provided in the plate P to receive the flanges 24, 24 through which attaching screws 40, 40 are driven into the last.

For use with this improved last construction, each insole I is provided by punching, or otherwise, with two holes 50, 52 of substantially the same shape as, and just slightly smaller than the pins 10 and 12, these holes being so positioned that when the insole is mounted on a last of the type just described and of the same size as the insole, as shown in FIG. 3, the insole will be accurately located in a predetermined relation to the bottom of the last, as shown in FIG. 2.

The distance between the holes 50, 52 is preferably slightly less than the distance between the pins 10, 12, when the pin 12 is permitted to assume the position shown in FIG. 1 before an insole is applied to the last. Thus, in applying an insole to the last the operator first places the toe end of the insole over the pin 12 at the toe end of the last and forces this pin into the hole 52 at the toe end of the insole. Now, by exerting a slight pull on the insole toward the heel end of the last, the operator brings the hole 50 at the heel end of the insole over the pin 10 and forces the insole down over this pin, as shown in FIG. 3. The pin 12 will now assume a somewhat more nearly normal, but still toewardly inclined position, and, because of the action of the spring 16, will exert a longitudinal force on the insole tending to hold one side of the hole 50 at the heel end of the insole frictionally in engagement with the pin 10. At the same time, one side of the pin 12 will frictionally engage one side of the hole 52. Therefore, in addition to being located accurately in a predetermined relation to the bottom of the last, the insole is securely held in place thereon by the pins 10 and 12 by the frictional engagement of pins 10 and 12 with the sides of holes 50 and 52. Moreover, this holding action is enhanced by the inclination of pins 10 and 12, or, in the case of pin 10, by the inclined surface 10', if the modification shown in FIG. 4 is used.

After the various shoemaking operations have been completed, the last L is withdrawn from the shoe by first breaking the last, i.e., swing its heel portion in a counterclockwise direction relatively to the forepart, as viewed in FIG. 3. As this is done, the pin 10 is easily withdrawn from the hole 50 in the heel end of the insole. Now, as the last is pulled heelwardly to withdraw its forepart from the shoe, the pin 12 at the toe end of the last will swing back to its original and more inclined position in which it can readily be pulled out of the hole 52 at the toe end of the insole.

As shown in FIG. 3, the insole I is premolded so as to conform quite closely to the contour of the bottom of the last L, this being especially desirable with lasts of the type shown and having a relatively high heel. With flatter lasts, such premolding operation may be eliminated, inasmuch as the flat insole, when mounted on the relatively flat last by means of the pins 10 and 12, will conform closely enough to the bottom of the last to permit the initial shoemaking operations such as assembling, pulling over and lasting to be performed in a satisfactory manner. During such initial shoemaking operations the insole will, of course, be very closely conformed to the bottom of the last.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A last having insole locating and holding members mounted thereon, one of said members comprising a fixed pin located adjacent to one end of the last and having a surface inclined toward that end of the last being adapted to enter an aperture adjacent to one end of an insole on the last and another member comprising a yieldably mounted pin located adjacent to the other end of the last and having a surface inclined toward said other end of the last adapted to enter an aperture adjacent to the other end of the insole, said last-named pin being adapted to exert a yielding force on the insole in a direction extending lengthwise of the last away from said other pin, thereby causing said pins frictionally to engage said apertures and thus hold the insole on the bottom of the last.

2. A last having insole locating and holding members mounted thereon, one of said members comprising a fixed pin lcoated adjacent to the heel end of the last and having a surface inclined toward the heel end of the last being adapted to enter an aperture adjacent to the heel end of an insole on the last and another member comprising a yieldably mounted pin located adjacent to the toe end of the last and having a surface inclined toward the toe end of the last adapted to enter an aperture adjacent to the toe end of the insole, said last-named pin being adapted to exert a yielding force on the insole in a direction extending lengthwise of the last away from said other pin thereby causing said pins frictionally to engage said apertures and thus hold the insole on the bottom of the last.

3. A last having insole locating and holding members mounted thereon, one of said members comprising a fixed pin located adjacent to and inclined toward one end of the last being adapted to enter an aperture adjacent to one end of an insole on the last and another member comprising a yieldably mounted pin located adjacent to and inclined toward the other end of the last adapted to enter an aperture adjacent to the other end of the insole, said last-named pin being pivotally mounted for swinging movement lengthwise of the last and adapted to exert a yielding force on the insole in a direction extending lengthwise of the last away from said other pin thereby causing said pins frictionally to engage said apertures and thus hold the insole on the bottom of the last.

4. A last having insole locating and holding members mounted thereon, one of said members comprising a fixed pin located adjacent to and inclined toward the heel end of the last being adapted to enter an aperture adjacent to the heel end of an insole on the last and another member comprising a yieldably mounted pin located adjacent to and inclined toward the toe end of the last adapted to enter an aperture adjacent to the toe end of the insole, said last-named pin being pivotally mounted for swinging movementlengthwise of the last and adapted to exert a yielding force on the insole in a direction extending lengthwise of the last away from said other pin thereby causing said pins frictionally to engage said apertures and thus hold the insole on the bottom of the last.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 137,799 4/73 Rounds l2129.6 256,168 4/82 Sherman l2l29.6 645,038 3/00 Lyons 12l29.6 670,452 3/01 Lanois l2l29.6 1,561,669 11/25 Stewart 12129.6 1,806,417 5/31 Poole l2l29.6 3,144,669 8/64 Lamy 12l29.6

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner.

DAVID J. WILLIAMOWSKY, Examiner. 

1. A LAST HAVING INSOLE LOCATING AND HOLDING MEMBERS MOUNTED THEREON, ONE OF SAID MEMBERS COMPRISING A FIXED PIN LOCATED ADJACENT TO ONE END OF THE LAST AND HAVING A SURFACE INCLINED TOWARD THE END OF THE LAST BEING ADAPTED TO ENTER AN APERTURE ADJACENT TO ONE END OF AN INSOLE ON THE LAST AND ANOTHER MEMBER COMPRISING A YIELDABLY MOUNTED PIN LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE OTHER END OF THE LAST AND HAVING A SURFACE INCLINED TOWARD SAID OTHER END OF THE LAST ADAPTED TO ENTER AN APERTURE ADJACENT TO THE OTHER END OF THE INSOLE, SAID LAST-NAMED PIN BEING ADAPTED TO EXERT A YIELDING FORCE ON THE INSOLE IN A DIRECTION EXTENDING LENGTHWISE OF THE LAST AWAY FROM SAID OTHER PIN, THEREBY CAUSING SAID PINS FRICTIONALLY TO ENGAGE SAID APERTURES AND THUS HOLD THE INSOLE ON THE BOTTOM OF THE LAST. 